Kaohly Her elected as St. Paul’s 1st Hmong and Asian American mayor

For the first time in the history of St. Paul, Minnesota, a Hmong and Asian American woman will lead the city. Kaohly Her’s election on Tuesday broke multiple barriers as she defeated incumbent Melvin Carter through ranked-choice voting. Her win reflects decades of progress by Minnesota’s Hmong community and growing Asian American political participation across the Midwest. Her narrowly won after ranked-choice tabulation, finishing with 32,295 votes to Carter’s 30,418.

Her’s victory marks a milestone for the Hmong community, which has deep roots in the Twin Cities since refugees from Laos resettled there following the Vietnam War. In her victory speech, Her told supporters, “I’m proud to stand before you as the first Asian and the first woman mayor-elect of St. Paul. Here is my commitment to you as your next mayor: I will always show up. We are a large city but a small community. Being involved matters,” according to the Star Tribune. Her’s election symbolizes both cultural representation and a generational shift in city politics, where Asian Americans have increasingly gained visibility in public service.

St. Paul’s increasing diversity has reshaped its political landscape, helping pave the way for Kaohly Her’s historic win. Asian Americans make up about 18% of the city’s population, with St. Paul home to one of the largest Hmong American communities in the United States. Over the past two decades, Hmong and Asian American leaders have become more visible in Minnesota politics, holding a growing number of local and state offices. Her, first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018, joins this expanding wave of Hmong American public officials whose influence continues to rise across the state.

Her will take office in January next year for a term that aligns with the city’s move to even-year elections. She has pledged to focus on housing affordability, public safety, addiction recovery, mental health services and downtown revitalization. Her emphasized that she intends to bring a collaborative approach to city governance, saying during her campaign that she wanted to “run City Hall differently.”

Her has previously spoken publicly about her family’s journey from Laos to Minnesota and the complexities of refugee resettlement, a story that drew both support and scrutiny when she reflected on it during a legislative debate earlier this year.